Tilting furnace or like structure



W. R. CLARK. -TILTING FURNACE 0H LIKE STRUCTURE. APPLICATION FILED APR:I9,I9I9.

1,358,62 1. Patented Nov, 9, 1920.

6 SHEETS-SHEET l.

W. R. CLARK.

TILTING FURNACE 0R LIKE STRUCTURE.

APPLICATION FILED IIPII. I9. |919.

1,358,621.. Pasmfe Nov. 9, E920.,

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Javea/doa W. R. CLARK.

TILTING FURNACE OR LIKE STRUCTURE.

APPucATloN FILED APH. 19, 1919.

Patented Nov. 9, 1920.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

W. R. CLARK. 11111116 EURNACE 0R LIKE STRUCTURE.

` APPL|cAT1nN FILED 111111.19, 1919.

Patented Nov. 9, 1920.

6 Srtt'TS--SHEET 4.

W. R. CLARK.

TILTING FURNACE 0R LIKE STRUCTURE. APPLICATION FILED APR. I9, 1919.

Patented N 0V. 9, 1920.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

W. R. CLARK.

TI-LTING FURNACE OH LIKE STRUCTURE. APPLICATION FILED APR. I9, I9`I9.

1,358,621 Patented. NOV, 9, @2%.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6 Suva/woz C( WIL @www m3 UNTED STATES Warren n. omini; or reinsurers, c

PATENT OFFICE.

NNETICUT, ASSIGNOR T0 BRIDGEPORT NECTICUT.

TILTING FURNACE 0R LIKE STRUCTURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

n19atainted Nov. 9., 1920.

Application filed April 1B, 1919. Serial No. 291,237.

To all Lc/icm t mag/ concern.'

Be it known that l, WALTER il. CLARK, a citizenv or the United States, residing in Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tilting Furnaces or like Structures, ot which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.4 y

This invention relates to furnaces and like structures, adapted to be tilted for the pouring oil of molten metal, and it has particular reference to mechanism tor pivotally mounting the furnace or the like upon supporting brackets and to mechanism tor counterweip'hting the furnace in order that thc same may be easily tilted.

@ne object ot my invention is to provide improved means for pivotally mounting a furnace receptacle between spaced supporting frames whereby the molten metal may be easily and eiliciently poured rom its receptacle into the molds.

Another object ot my invention is to provide improved means for counterbalancing the weight of the furnace receptacle in order that the receptacle may be more readily tilted to pour the molten metal from the same.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a tilting turmice construction in which the trame tor supporting' the furnace receptacle and the means Afor tilting and counterbalancing the receptacle are'so con structed that the entire furnace construction requires a minimum amount olf Vfloor space.

lt has been recognised heretofore that the tilting ot the furnace about an axis substantially in horizontal alinenient with the pouring); spout ot the :furnace body is of advantage, because the molten metal has a uniformly small distance to travel from the spout to the mold throughout the pouring;` operation. By this arrangement. the pour ing into the molds is made ninch more accuand expeditious, and there is much less waste than in the case where the metal, during at least a part ot the operation. has to travel a long arc, before reaching` the mold-a drawback incident to the pivoting' ot the furnace receptacle at or about the center thereoil in the ordinary way. lily invention, therefore, relates to a Furnace construction in which this detect is avoided,

but wherein, nevertheless, the construction oi the apparatus is more simple, and its operation more easy and convenient than in prior devices.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in the novel features and combina tions ot parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a front elevation ot a tilting furnace structure embodying my invention.l

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, part ot' the gear casingv being removed in order to disclose the interior ot the same.

Fin. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the furnace receptacle in its tilted position.

F 4 is a plan view of the device, shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side view of my device, taken substantially on line 5 5 oit Fig. l.

Fig. 6 is a modification showing a side view ot my tilting furnace with the side supportinnI traine removed, in order to dis close a different construction of the counterweighting mechanism; and

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, showing another modilication of my invention.

ln the drawings, I have shown my invention applied to an electric induction turnace for melting' brass scrap and other metals, although it will be obvious t t the character oi the furnace may be cally varied without departing from the principles or" the invention, and that if desired, the invention may be applied to various types of' furnace receptacles. The furnace receptacle is designated in its entirety by the numeral l0, and this receptacle is posi-- tioned between a pair oi? spaced hollow side trames ll and i2, upon which it is pivotally mounted, in the manner hereinafter described. The receptacle l0 is preferably provided with aside door 13, and a top door or `lid ifi, the latter being swung to its open position by means ot the operating,` lever l5.

lpon the side of the furnace receptacle, op pcsite the door 13, is provided the pouring spout i6, which is positioned some distance below the upper end or" the receptacle. The furnace receptacle is preferably made in sections, which sections are secured together by a plurality of bolts, as shown.

Vthe brackets 17 and 18, which may be formed integral with or bolted to the furnace receptacle, as desired, these brackets beingA provided with trunnions 19 and 20, formed upon their outer ends, the brackets being constructed and arranged so that the trunnions positioned upon the opposite sides of the pouring spout 16 lie substantially in alinement kwith this spout, so that the mouth of the spout lies substantially at the axis about which `the furnace receptaclelswings when the same is tilted to its pouring position. The trunnions 19 and 2O are rotatably mounted vin vbearing members 21 and 22 rigidly mounted upon the frames 11 and 12, and preferably upon one edge of these frames, as shown in Vthe drawings. The frames 11 and 12are made hollow, for the reason hereinafter pointed out, and they are preferably built up of angle irons and sheet metal plates vas shown, .each frame being ccnstructed of the sheet metal side plates -23 and 24, which are retained in spaced relation to eachother by any desired type of angle plates to which they are riveted.

The mechanism which I have provided for tilting the furnace receptacle about its trunm'ons will now be described. 0n each side ofthe furnace receptacle 10 are mounted curved vguides 25 and 26, which are rigidly their shafts.

secured to the-receptacle by bolts or the like 27. These curved guides are grooved, as shown, to receive the chains 28 and 29, the lower end of which chains are rigidly secured to the lower end of the curved guides by any preferred means, such as bolts 30. Upon the upper end of the frames 11 and 12 are rigidly mounted bearing brackets 31, 32, 33 and 34, in which the horizontal shafts `35 and 36 are rotatably mounted, and upon eachof these shafts are mounted the chain receiving wheels or sheaves 37, 38, 39 and 40, these sheaves being rigidly secured to The upper end of the chains 28 and' 29 are wound around the sheaves 38 and 39, and the last link of these chains is rigidly secured to its sheave by any preferred means (not shown), the arrangement being such that when the shafts and 36 v are rotated, the chains 23 and 29 will be either wound upon or unwound from the chain receiving wheels 38 and 39. Since the trunnion's about which the receptacle 10 swings are positioned considerably to one 'side of the center of `gravity of the receptacle, it is very desirable to provide counterweighting means to assist in tilting the furnace receptacle. For this purpose, l have provided the counterbalancing weights 41 and 42, which are slidably' mounted within the hollow frames 11 and 12,-these weights preferably being made up of a number of separate weights, which are secured together by'V bolts 43. 1in this manner, theV total weight of the counterbalancing members 41 and 42 may be increased or decreased, as desired. These weights are operatively connected to the sheaves 37 and 40 by chains or the like 44, the shafts 35 and'36 being so positioned upon the frames 11 and 12 that the weight supporting chains 44 hang vertically `from the periphery of the wheel about which they are wound, so that the weights will slide freely up and down witnin the hollow frames. The operating means which l have provided for tilting the furnace receptacle consists of the relatively large hand wheel 45, which is operatively connected to the vertical shaft V46 by means of the bevel gears 47 vand 43, the shaft 46 in turn being operatively connected to the horizontal shaft 36 by means of aV worm 49 and worm gear 50, the worm gear being rigidly secured to the shaft 36 and the gears 49 and 50 being preferably housed in a gear casing 51.

Y The operation of my device will now be described. When it is desired to tilt the furnace receptacle 10 from its vertical posi tion to the tilted position shown in Fig. 3, the hand wheel 45 is rotated in order to rotate the shaft 36 by means of the mechanism, just described, so that the chain receiving wheel 39 will be rotated in a direction to wind the chain 29 about the-same. As this is done the chain 29 will exert a pull upon its curved guide 26 sufficient to tilt the receptacle 10 to the pouring position, as shown in Fig. 3, the operation of the tilting mechanism being materially assisted by thepcounterweights, above described.

It is unnecessary to provide the Ahand wheel45 with means, for operatively connecting it to the horizontal shaft 35, since it is obvious that if suflicient power is iinparted to the shaft 36, the furnace receptacle will be, swung either toward or from its tilted' position, as may be desired. The counterweights 41 and 42 will impart a sulficient rotating force to the shafts 35 and 36 to make the mechanism operate smoothly, but these weights are not sufliciently heavy to entirely counteract vthe weight of the receptacle, Vsince in the mechanism, whichl have disclosed, the hand wheel 45 and mechanism operated thereby is provided to lift the furnace receptacle to its tilted position, and the weight of this receptacle is depended upon to return'the parts to their' normal position.

In the modification of my invention shown in Fig. 6, the construction and operation of my device is the same as in Figs. 1 and 5 inclusive, except that the curved guide 26 is reserveer positioned upon the receptacle 10 so that the groove in theJ guide lies eccentricto the axis about which theY furnace receptacle tils.

The curvedf` guide 26 is positioned upon the receptacle so that the upper and lower ends of the grooved path formed' for the cable are closerto the axis of'rotation their the intermediate portion oilr the groovey formed"V the curvature of the are a-'ct described a center.l I have used a small` circle design about the axis of' the trunnion 29 iiated by the reference character@ to indicate the approximate center of gravity of the receptacle '104 When they saine is iull or metal, andy as the receptacle is tilted about its trunnions, this center of gravity C Will move along the" arc yc-cso that as the receptacle approaches the position in which the center of gravity C Will lie the horizontal plane of the trunniens 20, the point C will necessarily ino-ve' away troni the vertical plane of the axis oi th'e'trunnion. It iv'ill, therefore, bev seen that the counterbalancing mechanism should exert its maximum tilting force uporif the receptacle when the' center of gravity C lies in the horizontal plane oi? the trunn'ieifr 2Q. in" order to accomplish this the point Where the cablebecomes-trui-` gent to the path when the center oit` gravity of the massY is iii horizontal alinernent with the axis of rotation, lies the greatest distance from the axis of rotation, the ar- 'enient being suclr that the cable or the 1 :fr like 29 which connects the Weight fil. to the curved guide Willi exert a smaller tilting force upon the receptacle when it is in the vertical position shown in .F ig. 6 their will be exerted when the parts are in the tilted position shown in Fig.` 3.

'ilus variable tilting force is desirable because when the axis about which the receptacle tilts is positioned, to one side of and above the center ofi gravity of the receptacle, as in the present case the center ot gravity nieves away from the vertical plane ot the asis oie rotation as the receptacle is tilted tov-'ard the pouring position, so that the Weight required to beI lifted in tilting the receptacle increases as the point C is inoved Lipu-fard tomirdy the horizontal plane ci the trunn-ions and` decreases as this point moves sway from this horizontal plane, as will be apparent.

i j the tilting` of the receptacle l0 the ric guideV will force the active part of ecceiit the cable au j uitacle and thereby increase the length of f :o acted upon by the cable to tilt the receptacle. The couiiterbala'ncing e'tlfect ot the/weighted is in this manner increased the angle to which' the receptacle tilted is increase .Y ,up to the p int when the center of gravity C is in horizontal aliiiernent with wv from the trunnions oi the the axis of revolution.- ritter the center of gravityhas passed this peint in its upward movement the opposite effect takes place. lt will be understood that an eccentric curved guide similar tothe guide 26 is preferably provided upon the opposite side ot the re1- ceptacle.

ln the niodiication oi iny invention shown in `7,the construction and operation of my device is thek sume as in Figs` iinclusive, except that the sheave 39 uponl shaett 36, asshoivn in Figs; i--5 inclusive, has

Vbeen replaced by the eccentric shea-ve 39V and the-curved guide 26 has been replaced by the curved eccentric uid'e 26.

As the receptnele i0-I is tilted, the center of" gravity nieves sway iron/i tiie vertical Lilane of the axis of rotation, thereby increasing the force required to tilt the receptacle until the center of gravity C otthe mass reaches a point ini horizontal alirieinent With the axis of rotation. After the center of gravity has passed this point in its up Ward nioveiinen'Iv it approachesthe vertical plane ot the axis of rotation and requires less torce to tilt the receptacle as'pointed out inthe above description of G. ln order to provide a eoun'terbalancing force which will vary as requir'ech- I have provided in Fig? an eccentric sheaveor cars rigidly secured to the sliait 36, and upon the inrnace receptacle the curved' guide 26 is positicned eeceiitricelly with respect to the axis about which the recep end of this guide preferably lying farther iironi the trunnion oithe receptacle than the lower end. This construction causes the length of the lever arnis, as represented by the curved groove of the' cani 3 9 and guide 26 to be varied as the force requiredto tilt the receptacle varied? The oi the cern 39 decreases in length the ce gravity C of the receptacle moves aivav from the vertical plane ci the axis et r tioii, sind increases in length as the cei oi gravity approaches this plane. counter-balancing effect of `the weight l is in this manner rept epiipcise ii'ith the `st ed is positioned upon the shaft 36 so that the portion the groove indicated by 52 will be 1crought into operative engagement with the cable 29 as the receptacle is tilted te bring its center of gravity C inte the horizontal. plane of the axis of the ytruiiriione. This construction causes the length of the lever arms as repree'sivings,tlie upper sented by the curved groove of the cam.39 and guide 26'. to be varied insuch a manner that the counterweight mechanism will Aexert at all times the desired tilting force.

From the above description, it will be seen Ythat the tilting furnacel disclosed inrFigs.

l to 5, inclusive, and also the modifications p of the same, disciosed in Figs. 6 and I, are

Vso constructed that a verypcompact device is `provided whereby the same requires a very small amount of floor space compared with the floor space required by the tilting furnace heretofore used. Furthermore, it will be seen that this compactness of the operating parts is due very largely to the arrangement whereby the counterweights 1 operate within the relatively narrow hollow frames ing said receptacle,V and counterbalancing means assisting to tilt said receptacle including weights slidably mounted in-said hollow frames, said weights positioned upon the opi posite sides of-said receptacle substantially in alinement with the axis of the receptacle. 2. 1n a tilting furnace or like structure, a

receptacle, spaced hollow side frames upon V,which said receptacle is piv'otally mounted,

means for tiltingsaid receptacle, comprising a horizontal shaft rotatably mounted in a fixed bearing upon one of said frames and operatively connected to said receptacle, means for rotating said shaft, and counterbalancing means assisting` to tilt said receptacle, including a weight slidably mounted in one of said frames and operatively connected to-said shaft. Y

3. In a tilting furnace or like structure, a receptacle, spaced side frames at least one of which is hollow, means for pivotally mounting said receptacle upon said frames, means for tilting said receptacle, comprising a rotatable shaft mounted upon said hollow frame and providedwith a flexible member for operatively connecting the same to said receptacle, means for rotating said shaft, and a counterweight tending to rotate said shaft,

said weight slidably mounted in said hollow frame and operably vconnected to said shaft.

4.111 a tilting furnace or likestructure, a receptacle having a spout formed upon one side thereof, spaced side frames, one of lwhich is hollow, trunnions secured to said receptacle in substantial alinement with said spout and journaled upon said frames, means for tilting said receptacle, and counceptacle, including a weight slidably mounted in said hollow frame and operatively connected to 'said receptacle,V said frames constructed to lie. substantially between parallel planes drawn tangent to the front and rear v of gravity thereof is elevated to the horizontal plane of the axis of rotation, and to exert a gradual decreasing tilting force upon said receptacle, as it is further tilted, comprising a curved guide havingavcable re-V ceiving surface, a counterweight, a cable engaging saidsurface and operatively connecting the counterweight to said guide, said cable receiving surface having its intermediate part constructed to lie a greaterdistance from the pivoted axis of said receptacle than the rest of said surface. Y

6. 1n a tilting furnace or like structure, a receptacle pivoted to swing about an axis positioned to one side of and above the centerv of gravity of the receptacle, counterweighting mechanism for said receptacle constructed to exert a maximum tilting force upon said receptacle when its center of gravity is elevated to the horizontal plane of the axis of rotation, and to gradually decrease as said receptacle is swung in either direction from this position, comprising a weighted cable, and a curved guide having a cable receiving surface, saidy surface having its intermediate portion positioned to hold the active portion of said cable a greater distance from said pivoted axis thanthe remaining portion of said surface.

7. In a tilting Vfurnace or like structure, a receptacle pivoted to swing about an axis located above and to one side of the center of gravity of the receptacle, whereby said center of gravity moves first away from the vertical plane of said axis and then toward saidplane as the receptacle is tilted, and counterbalancing mechanism for said receptacle constructed to exert an increasing tilting force upon said receptacle as the center of-gravity of said receptacle moves from said vertical plane, and a decreasing force terweightino' means tending to tilt said reb .ZG b

as it moves toward said plane.

S. 1n a tilting furnace or like structure, a receptacle pivoted to swing about an axis positioned to one side of the center of gravity of said receptacle, whereby said center of gravity moves either towardor from a vertical plane passed through said axis as the receptacle is tilted, counterbalancing mechanism for saidreceptacle, including a weighted iiexible member` -operably connected to said receptacle, and means for increasing the force, tending to tilt said furnace as the center of Oravity of said receptacle moves from said vertical plane, and to decrease this force as the center of gravity moves toward said plane.

9. 1n a tilting furnace or like structure, a receptacle pivoted to swing about an axis positioned to one side of the center of gravity of the receptacle, counterbalancing means for said receptacle, including a weight op-l eratively connected to said receptacle, and a cam and coperating flexible member constructed to increase the counterbalancing ef feet of said weight as said furnace is swung in either direction toward the position in which the center of gravity of said receptacle lies in the horizontal plane of its axis of rotation.

10. ln a tilting furnace or like structure, a receptacle pivoted to swing about an axis positioned to one side of the center of gravityY of the receptacle, counterbalancing means for said receptacle, including a weight op erativeiy connected to said receptacle, and a cani and cooperating flexible member constructed to vary the counterbalancing force exerted. by said Weight upon said receptacle the latter is tilted.

11. ln a tilting furnace or like structure, a pivotally mounted receptacle, counterbalaneing means tending to tilt said receptacle including a weighted flexible member operably connected to said receptacle, and means cooperating with said flexible member to vary the tilting force exerted by said countcrbalancing means with the angle to which the receptacle is tilted.

1Q, lin a tilting furnace or like structure, a supporting frame, a receptacle pivotally mounted thereupon, a curved guide secured to a face of said receptacle, a shaft rotatably mounted upon said frame above said guide, a iiexible member operatively connecting said guide to said shaft, and a counterwei'ght for said receptacle suspended from said shaft to hang adjacent said receptacle.

13. ln a tilting furnace or like structure, a supporting frame, a receptacle pivotally mounted thereupon, a curved guide secured to a face of said receptacle, a. shaft rotatably mounted upon said frame above said guide, a flexible member operatively connecting said guide to said shaft, a counterweight for said receptacle suspended from said shaft to hang adjacent said receptacle, and means other than said counterweight to rotate said shaft to tilt said receptacle.

14C. In a tilting` furnace, or the like, a receptacle provided with trunnions positioned to one side of the center of gravity of the receptacle, a pair of spaced hollow side frames having said receptacle pivotally mounted therebetween by means of said trunnions, said frames constructed to lie substantially between planes drawn tangent to the front and rear faces respectively of said receptacle` and counterbalancing means for said receptacle including weights slidably mounted in said frames.

15. In a tilting furnace, or the like, a receptacle provided with trunnions positioned to one side of the center of gravity of the receptacle, a pair of spaced hollow side frames having said receptacle pivotally mounted therebetween by means of said trunnionS, said frames'constructed to lie substantially between planes drawn tangent to the front and rear faces respectively of said receptacle, and counterbalancing means including weights operatively connected to said receptacle and suspended within said frames substantially in alinement with the vertical axis of said receptacle. I

16. In a tilting furnace or like structure, a body having a spout and pivoted to swing about a horizontal axis substantially coinci dent with the spout, means for tilting said body, means for counterweighting the same, comprising a curved guide carried by said body, and a weighted flexible member operatively engaging the outer face of said guide, said guide operating to force said Aiiexible iember awa-y from the pivotal mounting for said body as the latter is moved from its tilted position, to thereby vary the tilting effect of the counterweight.

17. In a tilting furnace or like structure, a body pivoted to swing about a horizontal axis positioned to one side of the center of gravityV of said body, counterweighting means for said body, comprising a curved guide carried by said body, and a liexible member having a weight at one end thereof and its opposite end secured to said guide, said guide operating to force said flexible member away from said axis as said body is swung away from its pouring position.

In witness whereof, l have hereunto set my hand on the 10th day of April, 1919.

WALTER R. CLARK. 

